If Richard from half a year ago were to evaluate his current self, he would certainly say it seemed a bit fanciful.
Believing a young dragon girl who couldn’t count beyond twenty-one, claiming birds were watching them.
And she had a long rap sheet, lying without draft, treating promises as trash.
And his basis for believing her was merely the name Thousand-Crow Eye.
He even asked a certain shapeshifter who came to clock in for work as usual, she directly said she didn’t know either, and mentioned that Thousand-Crow Eye was called that, the name might be deliberately spreading fear, after all birds are everywhere in the world, or the nickname was apt.
But such half-true half-false matters, he had done not once or twice.
But for the cause of justice…
Richard was pondering, the choice between the cause of justice and invading private birds, whether he did right.
Aurina called: “Richard! Richard!”
Richard lowered his head, only to see on the tabletop somehow, various colored birds arranged, sparrows, seagulls, crows, white pigeons, surrounding bird types almost all complete, not only filling the entire tabletop, but stacked two layers even three layers.
Even Aurina who always liked occupying high points got off the table, orange dragon on head, cats squatting in a circle around her.
“Don’t slack, quick quick make supper for this king.”
Richard stared at a few that looked like domesticated white pigeons, murmuring: “Very sorry… just plucking feathers.”
Before the words finished, flames engulfed the tabletop, leaving only featherless birds.
Richard felt somewhat guilty, had Aurina and the cats take the bird corpses away, went to the kitchen to gut them, remove innards, started lighting charcoal fire.
With Aurina there, the fire burned very strong, Richard grilled birds while chatting with Aurina.
“Seems you really like the orange dragon on your head? Caught four at once, did it catch four birds?”
Aurina still held grudge over Richard not believing cats are dragon descendants: “Idiot, no.”
“Then what?”
“It caught four birds at the same time!”
“How possible?” Richard said: “I’ve seen cats catch birds, at least two claws for one bird, count mouth one, at most three.”
“Ga, stupid Richard that’s why, it is the champion kitty.”
Aurina said: “It is also the most atavistic, most dragon-majestic cat.”
The chubby orange dragon lay entirely on Aurina’s head, looking like someone poured a bucket of cheese on Aurina’s head.
“No matter how look, unrelated to majesty.”
Somewhere in the capital.
In a dark secret room, only dim blue light fell on the bird’s head, illuminating its side.
Black shiny little eyes turned, it spoke: “Great master, the enemy has seen through our disguise again.”
Saying that, its eyes lit blue, blue light forming a screen in the air, revealing a bird’s final moments.
It and a group of sparrows on the roof, overlooking the dragon-slaying hero Richard’s residence in the temple district.
Red brick tile roof, simply clothed priests walking in the corridor, a sword target in the yard, Richard appeared carrying a practice iron sword, hand dragging a tail.
The screen immediately focused on Richard’s hand, and zoomed in.
The scales on the tail became clear, the legendary daughter of the Dragon of Terror about to appear in the screen.
An orange cat head suddenly filled the entire screen, bird flapping wings screaming screech sounded, screen jerked up to blue sky.
But less than a second, screen began spinning chaotically, followed by sharp teeth biting through feathers, piercing bone and flesh crunch, then screen, roof rushing face-on.
Can imagine, the cruel cat must have bitten the bird’s neck, then to the roof.
The screen finally froze on the bird-killing culprit, a shockingly fat orange cat, mouth biting one bird, two front claws each grabbing a flapping bird.
Two legs almost upright walking, pressing on a sparrow.
The bird head trembled in fear, drooped.
Feathers turned blue, then ignited blue fire, in the ever-changing flames turned to nothing.
Flames extinguished, secret room returned to darkness.
Only two red-dot-like eyes lit up, Thousand-Crow Eye seeming to mutter: “Must change target.”
Too many birds died.
Birds always perfect spies.
Stealthy, wide vision and everywhere, hard to arouse suspicion.
Even forest druids only suspect birds as spies.
Rangers sometimes shoot suspicious birds, but little effect.
After all forests full of birds, shot birds unknown if innocent.
Makes rangers and druids committed to protecting nature very resistant.
Thousand-Crow Eye never thought one day fall to cats.
City cats don’t know what wrong medicine ate, grouping to hunt all birds surveilling Richard.
Last time because night bird spies didn’t see Richard sneak night raid, only after fire rushed sky did birds come report.
Emperor of the Yanting Empire furious, ordered him must invest more bird spies, use all night-vision birds like owls to lock on Richard, otherwise…
Thousand-Crow Eye again hated the nickname Thousand-Crow Eye, made the Emperor realize his spies were birds, even though he spread many true false rumors, what use?
Emperor just thinks spies are birds.
Thousand-Crow Eye felt, when superior knows a bit about one’s specific business, most unlucky time.
Because when angry, points fingers, regardless if practical, hard to brush off.
Emperor one sentence, send more birds.
Thousand-Crow Eye at least give face, increase effort send birds, even though birds already feedback, these cats catch birds very efficiently.
But Emperor one sentence blocks back: “Cats run on ground, how catch birds flying in sky?”
No way, to show loyalty, not to mention sending birds to cat mouths, even throw into volcano must go.
Result now, he doesn’t even know the culprit is commanding strays to massacre birds.
Richard?
Sophia?
Impossible.
As for daughter of the Dragon of Terror, even more fanciful, she eat cats more likely.
Reasonable guess, must be some druid secret society from forest acted.
Though unknown how they identify his birds.
Must cost huge, to make him not notice at all, magic unveiling bird disguise, truly terrifying opponent.
Idea formed, Thousand-Crow Eye in dim light, extended slender pale fingers,
grasping a blue feather pen, began writing a earth-shaking conspiracy on paper.
From forest outside city, lawless ignoring forest seal orders even assaulting empire tax contractors rangers and druid secret society.
Surprisingly closely cooperate with always incompatible Tyr followers, used almost lost ancient ritual, spent massive manpower magic…
Writing and writing, Thousand-Crow Eye unconsciously wrote a whole page, glanced, felt entire empire in storm.
Enemies from inside outside city disregard past grudges, join hands to do big thing.
What big thing?
Thousand-Crow Eye thought, wrote “overthrow throne”. Surely attract Emperor of the Yanting Empire’s attention, after all to ascend throne, he dealt with many sisters brothers, either kill or out of sibling affection, blind eyes send to monastery.
Regardless true or not, before this overthrow throne big matter, sending more birds instead small matter.
Also effectively convince emperor support some of his plans.
Thousand-Crow Eye writing and writing, unconsciously finished over ten pages, thinking of his ongoing plan, felt current just small setback.
A force of over thirty Tyr Knight Order finally arrived at capital outskirts to camp.
Due to some game, temporarily not allowed enter city, Aurina and Richard and Sophia, rode carriage low-key to outside walls, Tyr Knight Order temporary camp.
Even though Tyr Knight Order very low-key, only a plain Hand of Tyr flag, plate armor outside covered with robe.
But couldn’t hide tall builds, exposed plate limbs and carried weapons and war horses, more or less made people feel capital storm approaching.
Aurina rode on war horse, Richard leading horse, this privilege Richard exchanged with tribute food to Aurina, temporarily no need fulfill pack beast duties.
Truly a considerate dragon.
“Brother Richard.”
Haisha Port commander walked over, on both sides formal paladins of Hand of Tyr Knight Order, nearly twenty.
They formed two ranks, presenting welcome formation.
Originally Aurina lacked interest because “can directly rob, why must lawsuit.”
But after seeing people pack beast called, perked up.
Still pack beast good, can call so many relatively strong little bugs to rob.
“Commander.”
Richard hugged him, looked around: “So many brothers come support, I’m very glad.”
“This you should know, Nuremberg’s Brother Shuma, and Brother Karen.”
Richard said: “Last time you introduced armorer very thankful. Seeing all brothers blessed by Lord, elites from various knight orders?”
“Yes. Not just what you see, grand captain personally leads, always following Royal Knight Order behind. Though inauspicious, comparable to this action, only many years ago Magdeburg campaign.”
That year Count Warren’s army killed into long-beseiged Magdeburg, treated whole city and people as spoils, one by one red-eyed robbing.
After negotiation failed, city’s Tyr judge executed.
Hand of Tyr Knight Order with several brother churches, assembled all elites, tried to open a breach in night to organize civilian evacuation.
But Count Warren seized opportunity attack, Hand of Tyr knights rear guard, entire army annihilated.
Lost most elites Hand of Tyr many years later recovered.
Richard made prayer gesture: “May we not fail the martyrs.”
“This time not as dangerous as last. We successfully brought defecting assassins, yesterday in forest refuge saw their families, they very grateful to you.”
Haisha Port commander said: “You just win the lawsuit well, knight order brothers will use force defend justice, as long as emperor agrees we enter city.”
Aurina asked: “Ah? Still need emperor agree.”
Haisha Port commander lifted head said: “If he forbids us entry, we will with brother churches’ help, low-key enter city.”
Aurina with pitying his intelligence gaze, looked down at him: “Then why need his agreement?”
“Brother Richard.”
Haisha Port commander: “You explain to her.”
“We committed to solving within rules, not let situation chaos. Chaos is butcher, easily kill half city’s people.”
Richard said, “So we’ll show him our strength. Let him weigh the cost of breaking the rules and make a rational choice. A major upheaval in the capital is something no one wants.”